Olivia Putman
Encyclopedia
Olivia Putman is a French
designer, daughter to Andrée Putman
and heir to her mother's design studio, Studio Putman. Her works range from interior architecture to scenography and design.
, a designer, and her father Jacques Putman, an art collector, editor and critic. Through family acquaintances and her teenage nights at Le Palace, she got to meet the most eclectic figures of the artistic scene of those days, including Andy Warhol
and Yves Saint-Laurent. She befriended Christian Louboutin
and Vincent Darré.
. She became the agent of the Ivorian painter Ouattara Watts
, and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac
introduced her to the modern art icon Jean-Michel Basquiat
, whom she counted among her friends until he died. For her first time as curator of an exhibition in 1988, the gallery owner Leo Castelli
lent Putman some art pieces. Le chiffre dans l’art contemporain (The figure in contemporary art) was then on display at the Parc Floral, in Vincennes, east of Paris.
This first exhibition gained Putman popularity and she started working with the association Usines Ephémères, which converts disused urban spaces into studios and exhibition sites. In 1990, the group transformed 161 450 square feet (15 000 m²) of the former Bretonneau Hospital in the 18th district of Paris, thus becoming the Ephemeral Hospital.
ever since she met Christian Louboutin
, a botanic fanatic. In 1994, she created temporary gardens combining art and agriculture with Jean-Paul Ganem, such as mixed fields of flax and lupin at Saint-Juire-Champgillon
, in the west of France. At this stage, Putman was an active artist and started studying landscape management in 1995, to assert herself as such. She worked alongside the landscape architect Louis Benech when he was in charge, amongst other things, of the lay out of the Tuileries Garden
.
In 1997, Olivia Putman started as a freelancer and flew to Japan to design her first private garden. Public acknowledgement of her talent only took a few years. Her work for perfume creator Caron was awarded the Dream Garden Prize at the Garden Festival of Saint-Cloud in 2000. Putman also joined forces from time to time with her mother's design studio, Studio Andrée Putman, as a landscape architect. On such occasions, like the Pagoda House
project in Tel Aviv or for Marc Jacobs
in Paris, she would focus on the gardens and terraces.
in New York. From 2007 to 2011, she won a Nespresso contest designing the Ritual collection, created furniture for Fermob, Emeco, or Serralunga, and Le Rivage hotel in Hong Kong . Putman also invented two scenographies : one for the Madeleine Vionnet
exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, the second for the French singer [Christophe (singer)|Christophe]]]. Since January 2011, Olivia also collaborates with Lalique.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
designer, daughter to Andrée Putman
Andrée Putman
Andrée Putman is a French interior and product designer.Long considered as a shocking eccentric by the French as she likes to defend the indefensible, Andrée Putman partly owes her reputation to foreigners...
and heir to her mother's design studio, Studio Putman. Her works range from interior architecture to scenography and design.
Biography
Olivia Putman grew up in Paris with her mother, Andrée PutmanAndrée Putman
Andrée Putman is a French interior and product designer.Long considered as a shocking eccentric by the French as she likes to defend the indefensible, Andrée Putman partly owes her reputation to foreigners...
, a designer, and her father Jacques Putman, an art collector, editor and critic. Through family acquaintances and her teenage nights at Le Palace, she got to meet the most eclectic figures of the artistic scene of those days, including Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
and Yves Saint-Laurent. She befriended Christian Louboutin
Christian Louboutin
Christian Louboutin is a French footwear designer whose father is cabinetmaker Roger Louboutin and homemaker mother Irene. His siblings include three sisters, no brothers. Landscape architect Louis Benech has been his partner since 1997. Louboutin launched his line of high-end women's shoes in...
and Vincent Darré.
Career
After graduating from high school, Putman completed a bachelor’s degree in art history in 1987, at the Paris-Sorbonne University. She then divided her time and workspace between Paris and New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She became the agent of the Ivorian painter Ouattara Watts
Ouattara Watts
Ouattara Watts is an Ivorian painter.He was born in 1957, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.He studied in l’École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France....
, and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac
1949: Born on November 28th in Casablanca, son of Louis and Jeanne-Blanche de Castelbajac1968: First collection for Ko and Co, company created at Limoges by his mother Jeanne-Blanche de Castelbajac1969: First show...
introduced her to the modern art icon Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American artist. His career in art began as a graffiti artist in New York City in the late 1970s, and in the 1980s produced Neo-expressionist painting.-Early life:...
, whom she counted among her friends until he died. For her first time as curator of an exhibition in 1988, the gallery owner Leo Castelli
Leo Castelli
Leo Castelli was an American art dealer. He was best known to the public as an art dealer whose gallery showcased cutting edge Contemporary art for five decades...
lent Putman some art pieces. Le chiffre dans l’art contemporain (The figure in contemporary art) was then on display at the Parc Floral, in Vincennes, east of Paris.
This first exhibition gained Putman popularity and she started working with the association Usines Ephémères, which converts disused urban spaces into studios and exhibition sites. In 1990, the group transformed 161 450 square feet (15 000 m²) of the former Bretonneau Hospital in the 18th district of Paris, thus becoming the Ephemeral Hospital.
Landscape architecture (1994-2006)
Putman was drawn to Land ArtLand art
Land art, Earthworks , or Earth art is an art movement which emerged in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s, in which landscape and the work of art are inextricably linked...
ever since she met Christian Louboutin
Christian Louboutin
Christian Louboutin is a French footwear designer whose father is cabinetmaker Roger Louboutin and homemaker mother Irene. His siblings include three sisters, no brothers. Landscape architect Louis Benech has been his partner since 1997. Louboutin launched his line of high-end women's shoes in...
, a botanic fanatic. In 1994, she created temporary gardens combining art and agriculture with Jean-Paul Ganem, such as mixed fields of flax and lupin at Saint-Juire-Champgillon
Saint-Juire-Champgillon
Saint-Juire-Champgillon is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.-Geography:The river Smagne forms most of the commune's southern border....
, in the west of France. At this stage, Putman was an active artist and started studying landscape management in 1995, to assert herself as such. She worked alongside the landscape architect Louis Benech when he was in charge, amongst other things, of the lay out of the Tuileries Garden
Tuileries Garden
The Tuileries Garden is a public garden located between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. Created by Catherine de Medicis as the garden of the Tuileries Palace in 1564, it was first opened to the public in 1667, and became a public park after the...
.
In 1997, Olivia Putman started as a freelancer and flew to Japan to design her first private garden. Public acknowledgement of her talent only took a few years. Her work for perfume creator Caron was awarded the Dream Garden Prize at the Garden Festival of Saint-Cloud in 2000. Putman also joined forces from time to time with her mother's design studio, Studio Andrée Putman, as a landscape architect. On such occasions, like the Pagoda House
Pagoda House
Pagoda House is an Eclectic Style building in central Tel Aviv built in 1924.The building, located at King Albert Square on the corner of Nahmani and Montefiore streets, was designed by the architect Alexander Levy. Over the years, the building fell into disrepair. In the 1990s, it was purchased...
project in Tel Aviv or for Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs is an American fashion designer. He is the head designer for Marc Jacobs, as well as Marc by Marc Jacobs, a diffusion line, with more than 200 retail stores in 60 countries. He has been the creative director of the French design house Louis Vuitton since 1997...
in Paris, she would focus on the gardens and terraces.
Studio Putman
Satisfying a longstanding wish of the founder of Studio Andrée Putman, Olivia Putman became the art director of the company . In 2007, she followed the renovation of the Morgans HotelMorgans Hotel
Morgans Hotel is a boutique hotel located on Madison Avenue, New York City, USA. Owned by Morgans Hotel Group, this was the first property in the group and opened in 1984. Andrée Putman served as interior designer for the 1984 renovation of this 1927 structure.- Design features :New design features...
in New York. From 2007 to 2011, she won a Nespresso contest designing the Ritual collection, created furniture for Fermob, Emeco, or Serralunga, and Le Rivage hotel in Hong Kong . Putman also invented two scenographies : one for the Madeleine Vionnet
Madeleine Vionnet
This article is about the haute couture designer. For the fashion label, see Vionnet Madeleine Vionnet was a French fashion designer...
exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, the second for the French singer [Christophe (singer)|Christophe]]]. Since January 2011, Olivia also collaborates with Lalique.